Waste of money! Food had no flavor, enchilada was dry. Waitress never came back to our table, so I could get enchilada sauce and a drink refill. Some strange food was in our salsa, had to go up to the front to get a new one because you couldn't get the waitresses attention. read more

I'd heard about this place from some colleagues. However, I am rarely adventurous enough to explore Indio. I'm glad that I ventured out the other night. I had an evening event at work, so I wanted to grab something early. Typically, I would go to Kitto Sushi or Macario's, but I wanted something different. I remembered hearing about Rincon Norteno and wanted to go find it. It is a small place, but big enough to accommodate groups. I sat at a table by the side door. I could see how long and narrow the restaurant is, but I never felt claustrophobic. The menu has multiple variations on a theme I was intrigued by the New Mexico style enchiladas, but I opted to get those a different day. I asked for a combo with a tamal and enchilada. Some chips and a cup of warm "salsa" were brought to the table. The salsa reminded me of green chile from New Mexico. I liked the flavor. I wanted to crush up the chips and throw them in the cup and eat it all with a spoon. I didn't do that, this time. (Next time, it is on!) My waitress was friendly and brought me a small carafe of iced tea. Little did she know that with that simple gesture, she was going to be my future ex wife. God, I love iced tea. The enchilada and tamal were both covered with the same kind of sauce. I couldn't put my finger on it, but it reminded me of something. I liked the enchilada. The tamal, at first, didn't make an impression, but as I kept eating it, I liked it more and more. The beans threw me for a loop. I would have sworn they had some lard in them, but I was told they didn't. Wow. good flavor. I need to go back and try some more things on the menu. Prices are right for the area. Tiny parking lot, but plenty of street parking. read more

Been coming to this spot since i was a youngster. Always usually good but there was this one time when we got some shrimp and they weren't deveined which is sick but other then that they have amazing salsa.They serve it watm/hot depends i guess but yeah there food is amazing worth the money. read more

This is the best kept secret in Indio. Food is excellent, service superb and staff is friendly. You won't be disappointed. read more

If you're visiting the Coachella Valley, stop by and give it a try :) you'll definitely find something on the menu. All the servers are friendly and you always see the owners helping where it is needed. read more

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Love this place. Great food. Always served hot, fresh, and delicious. I've never once had a bad plate of food from Rincon!

So this restaurants food is for sure delicious the bus boy Fidel shout out to u for making sure we always had our cups full and made us laugh also spoke good English. Our female waitress was a little bit impairment with us as we ordered we ask for her to repeat the order to make sure it was correct and in the end after waiting 30 mins the food came out with things we asked not to b inside due to allergies Also Fidel got the tip !!! read more

This is absolutely the VERY best Authentic Mexican food in a very safe and VERY Friendly Family atmosphere & service EVERY visit!!! I've been a regular for many years TVM Damian, Daniel and my fave waitress Pax (say Pas) All are Great, but Pax knows exactly what I like.... I'm addicted to their very unique regional salsa called "chile" I believe -think Gourmet class-I always order more Chips & Chile to go; and the Chilaquiles-Asada or Ribeye steak on a bed of what else-fresh tortilla chips and the House sauce/salsa/chile!!! I also love the Saturday Carnitas (crispy on the outside, moist in the center), Machaca Burrito Americano, Beef Burritos, Tacos, Tamales, Enchiladas...-Don't forget da roasted jalapenos & awesome Margaritas!!! -I'm going there again tonight! -Njoy Miguel read more

Family friendly, loud and great service! Had the bisteak ranchero, not the best I've ever had because it wasn't my moms. If you are looking for a place with great service this is the spot! All staff worked great with each other and we were constantly asked if we needed anything! Makes it easy to deal with okay food when the service is great. Will visit again when in town. read more

Rincon Norteno Cafe - Guacamole Dip came with Chips covered in Cheese!!! - Mexican Near Me - Indio, California

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Interesting location. Kinda underneath a road/bridge and not too many businesses around it. The complimentary chips were very good. Better than bagged chips from the supermarket. I had 3 tacos with rice for $9.99. The were the hard shell fried type. The chicken taco had good flavor and a nice crunchy shell. The shredded beef taco was disappointing. I prefer more seasoning/marinade in my beef. I wasn't tasting anything eating the beef. The rice was good. Standard Mexican rice. The menu is pretty big so there may be other things I'd like here but I'd never order a shredded beef taco again. Wish Tacos and Beer was closer. Great tacos there. read more

Forget El Tapatio Restaurant (so overrated) Rincon has ice cold chavelas and amazing food. Excellent service, prices aren't bad, and their renovation looks amazing. Definitely going to be my new go to spot. read more

Rincon Norteno Cafe - Chavela modelo negra - Mexican Near Me - Indio, California

I went after our Covid Vaccicnation at the fairgrounds. It was nice being able sit on patio and eat... very nice... we shared an order of Chiqules with beef... really tasty.. The staff was super nice - we had two Margaritas - they were just ok - think I would do a Cadillac one next time. I recommend you check it out. read more

This is a go to place for our family. Whether it is chips and warm salsa on Fridays after work or an intentional dinner out we enjoy Rincon. The chips are light and the salsa is warm and delicious. For starters I love the chilies Gueritos Rellenos con Camaron. They are super spicy and I do like it hot. You get 5 in one order and it is enough to share or to have as an entree. At our table there is always the combination platters galore. You will always find a chile relleno in the mix somewhere and they are a must. Also a must are the beans! I am always finishing the beans on my plate and the plates around me. I have also been here and ordered breakfast and the Huevos con chorizo is excellent - and I love that I can order breakfast anytime. . I have read some review that say this place is bland but that could not be further from the truth. No place can survive over 50 years without be authentic and delicious! read more

Rincon Norteno Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Indio, California

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Ate there three times in the past 25 years. A friend invited me and I didn't want to be rude because he likes the place. He later told me he only likes the cheese enchiladas. I never liked the food so I figured it'll be a safer choice to get the enchiladas too. It quickly reaffirmed to me why I only ate there three times in 25 years. It wasn't bad, not horrible but it was not flavorful at all. Rather bland. Service was ok but again not great at all. Not super friendly. Never offered to refill my drink. But the kicker was, as I was taking a bite of my tortilla chip the waitress took the bowl of chips from me and my friend. I guess they felt we ate enough chips? read more

This weekend we had a group of seven of us that wanted to try a Mexican restaurant that we had not tried in the past. We went through the list of the usual suspects and Rincon Norteno was the first one that came up that none of us had eaten at. Our group was three gringos and four hispanics. We all agreed that Rincon Norteno has some great bones, but need to take it to the next step to really please. First thing I noticed walking into the restaurant on Saturday evening at 5:45 was the lack of parking due to all the construction (I hate when road work gets in the way of finding food). The place was well lit, and the building looked nice. the place was fairly crowded and even some of the outdoor tables were taken which is impressive this time of year. As we walked in we saw a wave of white faces. My first question to my friends was "where are all the Mexicans?" We were warmly greeted and quickly seated. They brought water with chips and salsa quickly after we were seated. We were off to a good start as the chips and warm salsa were sampled. The chips were nice and fresh and the salsa had a good flavor and a nice amount of background heat to them. I then checked the menu and found some pricey options for local Mexican food in Indio. I noticed all they had were crispy beef or chicken tacos for those of us who like tacos. I ordered a beef and a chicken taco with rice and beans for $9. Others at the table ordered pork chops a la Mexicana, carne asada quesadilla, enchiladas and chili rellenos. The tacos were delivered on an overflowing plate with lettuce and tomato falling out of the shells. The shells and the fillings were quite greasy. The chicken was incredibly bland, even by traditional Mexican standards. The beef was even more bland. The food was acceptable for gringo Mexican food if you want a step towards authentic from Las Casuelas Quinta, but with over 300 Mexican restaurants in the valley, I will probably only return here to give them one more chance to step it up since they have been highly recommended by friends. If the next time is like the first, I think I will leave Rincon Norteno for all the gringos who fill the place every day. read more

Rincon Norteno Cafe - Beef and a chicken taco combo - Mexican Near Me - Indio, California

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We had a catering order delivered to the house and could not be happier with service and food quality. Their manager Pru was very helpful and accommodating when setting up our order. This was the perfect authentic Mexican meal and we would definitely dine here or order catering again. read more

We found this place on a road trip from AZ to SoCal. The food was great and the service was awesome! We definitely felt welcomed. If you're in the area stop by for food or drink. Everything was exactly what I hoped for. read more

It's still good, but not as good as it was a couple of years ago. My chicken enchilada was alright, a little on the bland side. However, the re-fried beans and our chips and salsa were good. I know there are some people out there that don't care for the warm salsa, but I like it. If I return I think I will go back to having their tacos, from which I remember, were quite good. The margaritas were very tart, almost undrinkable. But our second round fared a little better. I will say our service very prompt and friendly. And I still enjoy the atmosphere, I love the authentic, dive, hole-in-the-wall feel it has to it. read more

Not happy with this restaurant! We use like this place. Went to eat there yesterday and so unhappy with the service, the food and the outdoor seating. The seating was not 6 feet apart. It was very loud. The food was over priced and horrible. My eggs were super runny and food was lukewarm. I was charged $2.50 for faucet water. What's up with that?? Maybe the Covid-19 has something to do with this?? I will not being going back there again! read more

This place is good ! Don't look at the the outside and judge . The food is good and the servers are good . The salsa is different .. but try it because it has a lot of flavor . read more

Best mexican food ever they got all your favorite meals on lock. The waiters are very friendly and attentive. Attention to detail. I could recommend almost every plate on the menu. The salsa is amazing. I love this place. read more

This restaurant is family owned. The food is amazing and the service was also outstanding. We came on Monday night and it was quiet and we sat on the patio. They allowed us to bring our well behaved puppies with us which was definitely a plus. The margaritas were also great! The food tasted authentic and the service was friendly and genuinely friendly. I highly recommend this restaurant. If you know home made Mexican food then this place is tasty and for you! read more

I have given this place several chances before doing a rating and review...so, here it is: it is my favorite Mexican place in Indio. It's out of the way and worth the effort. Food is delicious, people are very nice...but the salsa...served warm and flavorful; interesting and original. Give it a try!! read more

Feeling like I got ripped off!! $12 for a Carne Asada burrito with less then a 1/4 pound of meat in it. Nothing else, no cheese, no lettuce, no rice or beans. Nothing!! I wanted a Chile Verde burrito but they make theres with beef. I had ordered a Chile Verde plate couple weeks ago and it tasted like beef stew. Hate to say it should have gone to Del Taco would have been better and cheaper. Unfortunately my wife likes the soup so she will go back, I will never eat there again. read more

Went to dinner there tonite with friends. It was crowded and we were expecting great service but we were expecting service. Finally after 45 minutes my husband was served his dinner while we just sat there. Not asked us if we were ok and no one explained why the food wasn't coming. Finally 10 full minutes later our other three items came. The good wasn't hot but it wasn't cold. While eating my meal I hit a sheet pain in the seat of the chair. A nail came through the chair into my skin and made a whole in my pants. No one did anything other than bring me a new chair. To get charged for our meals and said they would call the owner. My pants were ruined and my seat was poked. It did draw blood but nothing horrible. It was just that no one cared or tried to right the situation. I asked them to speak to the owner and that I wanted my pants replaced. read more

Ate here yesterday before going to a play across the street. Not the best part of town. Appeared clean and the staff was very prompt. I had a cup of menudo and a shrimp cocktail. Both excellent. They even had my low carb beer on tap. I sometimes rate Mexican/Italian/Chinese restaurants by looking at how many of their citizens are actually eating in the establishment.....lots of Hispanics..... Will be going back. Oh yes, the boss visited our table twice. read more

The food here is so authentic!!! I was able to order menudo and it wasn't even the weekend! The chili relleno and cheese enchiladas were so good--probably the best I've ever had. The margaritas was a little overpriced, especially for a skinny margarita but oh well. Food was great. Will come again when passing by Indio! It doesn't look that great from the outside but it's worth the stop. read more

Went there tonight and sat on the patio. The server was extremely slow and the food took a long time to arrive. We asked for a take out container and 10 minutes later I had to walk inside to ask for it again. If you don't want bad service sit inside and it might be better ! read more

White people food, no flavoring just bland. Salsa taste old and meat is tough to chew on. Fries are uncooked and hard to chew. Will not come back here again. El Tapatio is the move next time. Better food. read more

I've been to this restaurant many times but this is my first review after the remodeling. The new look is perfect it's spacious, a bit more modern and definitely more comfortable. They hired a few new waitresses from what I could tell. The lady that took my order must have not studied the menu, I ordered the machacha burrito and she brought me the plate (no burrito). I was unhappy about that but the flavor and amount of food for the price made up for it. Tip for next time be very straight forward as a guest having an order taken, and to the owner please make sure new employees know how to place an order correctly and be visualint. My experience for example the burrito I ordered was on a completely different page then that of what she gave me. Not only did I say burrito but she could have also taken a notice to the page and section I was reading from. I also checked the order she wrote when given the check; she didn't have it written as a burrito. Maybe she's a little deaf in one ear. read more

Decided to treat my parents for a dinner, and unfortunately they chose this restaurant to try something new. My parents are grateful hard working individuals and NEVER complain. But this outing was the worst starting with the staff. Seemed like as soon as we walked in we were a burden. Any questions we had were answered with an attitude and a eye roll. Had to ask another server for a refill on my beverage. I was the only one at the table that was able to get a refill. Burritos were falling apart, with every other bite having to pull chewy fat out from my mouth. The tostadas were rock hard and stale. At the end the bill came out. It was all chicken scratch, no way of knowing what we really got charged for. It could have been right, no way of knowing. I would recommend keeping your own tab on the bill. Needless to say, 10 out 10 WILL NOT RECOMMEND! read more

Worst staff and even worst food. I ordered a pozole , I even called to make sure they had it before I drove to pick it up , and when I got home to eat it it was a cup full of just juice. On top of that the older lady who charged me tipped herself a couple bucks. Hands down the worst place to come to go to Tapatío just down the road they're customer service and food are more authentic anyways. read more

It's funny I just noticed I haven't written a review for my favorite restaurant in the valley!! Hah now this place HAS AUTHENTIC MEXICAN FOOD! There is nothing I love more then some bomb-ass salsa, (salsa makes or breaks how I feel about a restaurant. It is the first impression for me!) full of flavor, chiles and just delicious, add some fresh made chips and your off to a great start. Then you move onto your entrees... I've eaten here for 20 yrs now and to this day the consistency in flavor is spot on. From their chicken tacos, to their breaded shrimp,to their chuletas a la mexicana, to their shrimp ranchero, or enchiladas!! Or you might just want some breakfast papas with eggs and bacon?. Everything is great.. especially the people who work here and who own it. They are great!! Thanks for your great food and service year after year! read more

Me and my mom were out in Indio and we came upon this place, I really liked their food, it was me, my daughter and mom. So, when we came to Indio, CA for the second time, we came here again. It is Mexican and they also had shrimp cocktails. I am 1/2 Mexican and 1/2 Philippine, but I am more Mexican. I see peoples reviews here and sometimes when you order, be specific and the person that book them for a party, maybe he gave them the wrong time. You always plan ahead of time and when you call, be specific at to what time they are to be there. Well, next time I'm in town, I am going there again. Ohh by the way, I am from Imperial County. read more

Best Mexican Food I've ever had. Cheese Enchiladas with onions are especially yummy!! We visit Desert one week a year and we eat at Rincons at least twice. I wish they were in Northern California !!!! read more

If you are looking for an authentic Mexican restaurant look not further. This is one of the best "originals" out there. Been going here for years and it never disappoints. Gotta try the Chiles Gueritos (chili's stuffed with shrimp) or anything with the "red" sauce over it. Truly out of this world. read more

Amazing family place & great food waitresses super friendly and attentive. Highly recommend the chilaquiles and their caldos.

It's a hole in the wall. Just like most of the best places to dine, it hides amongst the people, in the quiet streets, and in this case, almost under an overpass. I found Rincon Norteno through Yelp, and the Yelp map makes it look like the restaurant is on the corner of Jackson and Indio, but it's really on Indio where Jackson has a flyover. You walk inside and are still a little hesitant. The menu is simple: standard Mexican fare that you find at most places here in SoCal. The inside dining area has maybe 10 tables, and the outside patio has maybe another 10. That's it. But the food... Ohhh, the FOOD. My wife and I both loved our cheese enchiladas, and the carne asada burrito was incredible. I live in San Diego, and have had a lot of carne asada, but this was some of the best I've had in a very long time. Perfectly seasoned, and perfectly cooked, and LOTS of it in the burrito. Pricewise, it's very inexpensive. And the service is spot-on. Attentive, but not overly so. If you look above the front door, they have a long mirror that is angled slightly downward, so they can look from the kitched out at the dining room and see everything that's going on without being obtrusive. Very clever! So while it's not exactly a high-brow place to go if you want to impress a date on the way to the opera or a formal event, it's definitely a good choice if you want to impress a date with your ability to find hidden gems. If my wife and I ever find ourselves in Indio again, we are already planning a return visit! read more

Update: Today I logged into Yelp to see I have two messages from Pru F. (Pru Flores / Prudencio Flores, the owner of Rincon Norteno, don't ask how I know, it's a small desert, haha). The first message was "what time and date were you at Rincon Norteno?" The second message was "you sound like an ass" I wrote back "Title: 7/10/2012 @ around 6 is when I got there. a. I know you're the owner, so saying I sound like an ass is just a bad look. b. I post reviews so people like you, owners or managers, make improvements, and/or help their staff get better. not to be an ass, or have people not go there." Within an hour Pru F. deleted his account. That sums up my experience of Rincon Norteno, the owner saying I am an ass. And now I definitely would advise people to not go there. *please read my first review* read more

It may be authentic but it wasn't good. Authentic Mexican is quite bland and many don't know that such "Mexican" spices and herbs like cumin, cilentro, garlic are of Indian and Asian origin. They were introduced to the Americas by the conquistadors by way of the Arabs and Indians. Most Mexican foods that we North Americans are used to are bombarded with spices because our taste buds have been raped for a long time. With all that said, it was quite bland. I got the Chili Colorado and the taste was okay but the beef was totally fatty and full of gristle. I was told the same was true for the chicken but the enciladas were good. The chips and salsa was good and the restaurant seemed like it really was in Mexico. I would not go there again. Too "authentic" for me. Exc - None Good - Service. Ave - None Poor - Food. WOULD I GO BACK? NO WAY JOSE! read more